Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-09
BALM FOR THE PIGTAlIS.
THE HOUSE PASSES A BILL FOR
INDEMNIEICATION.

A Vote of 1O1 To 6S Substitutes the
House Bin for That of thc Senats--An n
Appropriation of SI47.74S Made by
the MesSure-Mr. Be,munt Makes a
Strong Plea In Behalf of the Bill.
WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-'The House to-
day went into committee of the whole on
the Senate bill to indemnify certain sub
jects OF the Chinese empire tor losses sus-
tanned by the violence of a mob at Rock
Springs, Wy. T., on sept. ,, 1885.
Mr.. Morrow, OF California, inquired
whether 1t was the purpose OF the For
eign Relations Committee, in case this
bill was passed, to call up to-day the bill
restricting Chinese immigration.
MIR. Belmont replied in The negative.
The Chinese government did not desire to
embarrass the relations between the two
nations by continuance OF immigration,
and there was disposition to modify
the treaty so as to bring about results
very much more effective than could be
secured by legislation. With this assur-
ance the committee did not intend to
bring up the matter to-day.
CHINA's GOOD REPUTATION.
In the course of ais speech in favor of
Ju6 pbuulHk ulll MI. L nSlpSS Vi NEW JeI-
sey, said the archives OF the State Depart
ment showed that the Chinese govern
ment had been always prompt and gener-
Gus In making payment for losses incurred
by Americans in China. Some weeks ago,
he added, news reached Shanghai that the
city of Charleston had been shaken, not
destroyed, by an earthquake, and last
week the Consul General resident at
Shanghi transmitted 81 ,260, contributed
by poor Cinnamon OF Shanghai for the re-
lief of the Charleston sufferers. He
could not recall that, while miScreants.
and not an act of God, did not simply In
jure, but entirely destroyed and obliter-
ated the village OF Rock Springs, there
had been any contributions from any OF
the neighbOrlng villages or towns in order
to compensate the Chinese for the losses
which they had cruelty suffered. If the
United States government were not bound
in view Of the past history of the two
countries to indemnify Chinese subjects,
it would be bound to do so under all
treaty obligations.
MIR. CLEMENTS STAND.
MIR. Clements. of Georgia, while ap-
proving the bill, did so on account of the
past friendly relations between the two
countries and as an act of generosity and
humanity, and contended that there was
no legal international obligations under
the treaty requiring the government to
provide for indemnity.
The respective merits of the Senate bill,
which provides for the ascertainment of
the losses incurred, and the house bill,
which makes direct appropriation OF
| $147,74 were briefly discussed.
The advocates OF the Senate bill placed
| their advocacy upon the ground that 1t
would soon become a law and that the
amount of the losses could be more cor
rectly ascertained. The advocates OF the
House measure contended that to pass
the Senate bill would be to delay payment
| for twelve months, and, as Mr.. WORTH
ingtOn, of Illinois, expressed IL, present
n Christian country in sad light as COM
pared with the prompt action OF the Chi
nese government In indemnifying Ameri-
cans who have been wronged.
Mr.. Daniel, of Virginia, favored the
House bill, being opposed to making two
bites of a cherry. The CLAIM was a small
one and a righteous one, and IL did not
become this country to prOcrastinate
longer In making payment. The claim
should have been paid long ago, and 1t
was with no pride as an American citizen
that he contemplated the fact that the
Chinese government had always acted In
spirit of grace and courtesy and gen
erOsity and OF good neighbOrbood. The
House bill was substituted for the Senate
bill by vote Of l0l TO 6S, and as so
amended the bill was reported to the
House ana passed.